Interboro fills vacancies, progresses with superintendent search

NORWOOD -- The Interboro School Board unanimously appointed a new director of pupil services at its meeting on Wednesday evening, filling one of several administrative vacancies created over the last year.

Amy Eisen will begin her tenure in the position at an undetermined date, and will receive an annual salary of $110,000. The position will be tenured. Interim Superintendent Dr. Edmund Sacchetti said that the director of pupil services is "a very important position."

The appointment comes several months after the resignations of no less than five top level administrators in the district, including the superintendent.

The search to fill that position is progressing, according to interim Superintendent Dr. Edmund Sacchetti.

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"We have already gone through our first round of interviews," he said during the meeting, which was held at the Norwood School. "We will now embark on our second round."

He noted that in response to the complaints of some board members about recent hiring practices, every member of the board was invited to each of the interviews. Board President William Taggart said the next round of interviews will likely begin after the Thanksgiving holiday, and that a new superintendent could be named soon after.

"Hopefully, this will put us in a position to make a decision by our December board meeting," Taggart said following the meeting.

The board passed every motion and resolution unanimously Wednesday night, which is a rare occurrence for the group. Taggart said the board has made great strides this year in spite of its members' differing opinions.

"It was a great year to represent the taxpayers," Taggart said, referring to the district's 2012-2013 budget that held the line on taxes and was passed by an 8-1 margin. He also lauded the efforts of district Solicitor Francis Pileggi and the work of the board to settle numerous personnel contracts.

"The labor contract issue was big," Taggart said. "Being able to accomplish labor peace was my No. 1 goal." The board this year approved long-term contracts with the teachers' and professional unions and on Wednesday approved a four-year agreement with the administrators' union.

Though divisiveness has been more the rule than the exception over the past year, Taggart said the board is determined to keep working hard for the betterment of the Interboro School District.

"We've had some meetings that were difficult for the community to bear," he said. "I've gotten a lot of feedback from people. We'll continue to do the best job that we can."

The board will next meet at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Kindergarten Academy's multipurpose room.